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LeBron James on Arenas's Rehab: "He Looks Good"

Gilbert Arenas is maintaining an unusually low profile while rehabbing his (thrice) surgically-repaired left knee this summer at Tim Grover's Attack Athletics gym in Chicago. He's retired from blogging, doesn't tweet and has shunned interviews since arriving in the Windy City in late June. But that hasn't kept others from marveling about the progress he has made.

With LeBron James in town this weekend to promote the release of his new film, "More Than a Game," I had to ask the MVP how Arenas looked during some star-studded scrimmages this week in Chicago, where Arenas, James, Dwyane Wade, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, Andre Iguodala and Quentin Richardson are said to have played.

"He looks good," James said on Friday. "He looks good."

Is he all the way back?

"He's almost back," said James, who was in Chicago on the first stop of his promotional tour. "He's about, probably, in the high 90s. I'll say that. He's good. He's good. He's good. He should be happy that he's back on track. No limping, no nothing. We played a lot of games, too. Worked out. It was good."

Wizards Coach Flip Saunders commented about the return of Arenas's quickness and confidence after visiting with him last week in Chicago. After those lively runs at Grover's gym on Wednesday, Iguodala wrote on his twitter page, "gilbert arenas is back like he left his black card!" To which, Richardson replied, "he aint lyin yall!! Thats real!"

Training camp is about six weeks away, and Arenas plans to complete his two-month rehab stint with Grover around the end of this month. Until Arenas is back on the floor, going on scoring binges, flashing that bravado and making boastful proclamations during actual NBA games, all of this talk just serves as an encouraging sign for what to expect from the $111 million man who hopes to return to all-star form.

Comments

q rich woulda got dogged by anyone but if the king says it's so, so it shall be.

Posted by: lilhollywood10 | August 14, 2009 2:27 PM

Sounds good. Especially coming from LeBron...because if ANYBODY knows how good Gil was it's LBJ. That first series, even with the 2 missed free throws is still the height of Washington basketball in my lifetime.

That 3 from like 35 feet to tie? Ridiculous.

Posted by: SDMDTSU | August 14, 2009 2:37 PM

The only reason the wiz lost one of those series is because he WALKED to the "crab dribble" past Jamison. Refs ignored a call that decided the game and ultimately the series. I can see Wash & Cavs in the semi's or the finals, pending health. Final eastern 4 Wash, Majic, Cavs, and Celtics. Celts are getting old so that may be a stretch.

Posted by: Gooddad | August 14, 2009 2:50 PM

Gil seems to be on track. What's Foye up to?

Posted by: Izman | August 14, 2009 4:04 PM

Gooddad, don't forget that he stepped on the baseline on that one game winner, also.

Posted by: ZardsFan1 | August 14, 2009 4:13 PM

But since neither one of those happened in game 7 and since the Cavs were the higher seed with home court advantage both times, saying that either of those cost the Wizards the series is a bit of a stretch.

Posted by: kalo_rama | August 14, 2009 4:24 PM

The Wizards may be good this year. I remember when my uncle Tree Rollins was an assistant with the Wiz in the pre-Jordan days and he wanted out of there. They will be a playoff team this year, but not in the top 4 in front of my HAWKS!

Posted by: bear3000 | August 14, 2009 4:36 PM

Don't worry about Gilby's blog, twittering, etc....all that BS will return soon enough, once he proves that he's healthy again.

Posted by: DC_MAN88 | August 14, 2009 4:39 PM

45 days till training camp opens. Should of called Quentin Richardson Mr. Just Got Traded. He's been traded four times this summer.

Posted by: jeremydvid | August 14, 2009 4:54 PM

My seats were in the first row of the upper deck right at baseline. Had a perfect view of that play. My view of it was that he walked and his foot brushed the baseline. But that's in the past...

One thing people have tended to forget about Arenas, the guy built his whole career on the Gil(and Dad) against the world thing. The 0 was for the minutes he was told he would get at Arizona as a walk on.

The snub in the first round, he used that to fire his NBA career. He had the choice to sign with a proven winner or come to Washington when we were down, he kept flipping that coin until it came up for the underdog.

Some where in his house I'd imagine there's a room plastered with all of the negative things that have been said about him since the injury. There's probably a few(maybe hundred) posts from this blog.

That's the kind of thing the guy thrives on,the self imposed silence means the guy's got that fire burning in his gut. He starts lighting it up, the Gil fans will come out of the woodwork like Yankee fans after a sweep over the Bo-Sox.

If the guy's regained his strength and quickness, SDMDTSU, I think your going to see thrills in DC you can only imagine right now.

Some of MJ's Championship teams were not real strong at the 4 and the 5. But teams couldn't beat them because they couldn't matchup with the Bulls on the perimeter. There will be very few NBA teams that will not have problems matching up with this team on the perimeter.

Blatche was just in his second year when he last played with Gil, McGee and Foye have never played along side him. Crittenton is working with Cassell all summer and then he's going to get to run with Gil. We haven't seen the upside playing with Gil, and being coached by Flip, can bring to these guys.

But we have seen it in the past, with guys like Larry Hughes, Jamison, and Butler. Gil makes the team around him better, always has, but I think we'll see him take that to a new level too.

I think we'll see a much improved player, Flip's going to make him better, and he's had a lot of time to think about the game.

I'm not one of the guys that come on here predicting wins. But if Gil's healthy, this team should fear no one. Every night they walk on the floor, it's going to be fun to watch. Win or loose.

If you don't believe me, believe LaBron...
GM

Posted by: flohrtv | August 14, 2009 5:03 PM

first row of the upper deck of the VC is a good view of the baseline.....jeepers creepers where'd u get those peepers?

Posted by: lilhollywood10 | August 14, 2009 5:22 PM

Who is LeBronny James ?

The Redskins will finish with a 4-12 record.

It's time to say goodbye to Vincent Cerrato.

Too bad, Danny Snyder.

Maryland will finish with a 2-10 record.

Maryland's defensive line and linebacker corps are a joke --- no pass rush whatsoever and give up a ton of long yardage plays.

I have seen harder hitting teams in powder puff leagues.

The only hard hits the Terps make - are out of bound plays - which cost them an additional 15 yards - which are quite frequent.

California's running back - Best - will gain 296 yards in the opening game

I love it, when Maryland constantly gets embarrassed on national TV.

Prediction:

California -- 56
Maryland -- 10

It's hilarious to see Maryland win a game - and the very next week get clobbered by a Virginia Tech - Boston College.

It is great to see Maryland go down to a crushing defeat on recruiting front (the kids they have received commitments from - are a joke! - taking the bottom of the barrel)

Carolina Blue - Carolina WHITE - Go Tar Heels - Let's go Tar Heels !

Posted by: hclark1 | August 14, 2009 6:45 PM

I am impressed a UNC fan is so excited about the tangerine bowl.

Posted by: firemetalrat | August 14, 2009 7:09 PM

Stick to basketball Heel-fan, that's all you and the Dookies have. I say this as someone who lives in Durham.

I guess you didn't catch Maryland beating Cal last season.

Then there's also the little omission of Maryland's Carolina sweep last year (UNC, NCSU, Wake)... oh and the bowl victory, but hey, why let facts get in the way of baseless grandstanding? It's never stopped Palin and Pals.

Posted by: alecw81 | August 14, 2009 7:36 PM

"Every night they walk on the floor, it's going to be fun to watch. Win or loose.

Posted by: flohrtv | August 14, 2009 5:03 PM "

I think most, except for you, have gotten over the novelty of Gilby being "fun to watch." It's time to win....

Posted by: DC_MAN88 | August 14, 2009 8:20 PM

I must say I'm excited about Wizards basketball once again. Thank god we have the Caps and Skins during the winter to entertain us last year. Sounds like Arenas will be back to his old 25-30 pts per game. We need that triple threat with a deep guard bench we can keep him fresh. Now we need McGee to step it up this year. Haywood's back so the Center D should be stable.

Posted by: mc2884 | August 15, 2009 12:23 AM

I don't know if Gil "will be back to his old 25-30 pts per game." He's expressed a desire for triple doubles. His stats will be one of the interesting things to watch in the coming season. But most of all, I'm hoping and expecting that he will be looking for ways to win, which I think he has very good instincts for. So whether he passes or shoots, I expect he'll play to win. We have reason for great optimism with this team..